Automatic fuel-charging device



Nom 10, 1931. J, H. GLEASON 1,831,066

` AUToMATic FUEL CEARGING DEVICE Filed sept. 24. 192e wwf/@2% Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE JAMES H. GLEASON, OF. WILIOUGHBY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO `THE GAS MIA(JHINERY COM- i PANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO AUTOMATIC FUELCHARGTNG DEVICE Application filed September 24, 1928. Serial No. 307,812.

My invention particularly relates to charging devices by which a circumferentially uniform fuel bed is maintained automatically in the generator, furnace or other fuel consuming chamber, by means of periodic fuel charges deposited therein by a distributor continuously rotated during the charging operation. Y The invention comprises 1mprovements in the fuel-charging` devices shown, described and claimed in my pending application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 232,571. Thesev improvements particularly relate to the means for rotating the fuel distributor, and to a relative arrangement and positioning of the several whereby very slight head room is required for the charging device. By the method of distributiony each charge preferably, although not necessarily, covers an larea of the fuel-consuming chamber comprising a small fractional partl of the complete circumference of the chamber. In such use of the device, each charge covers substantially such a fractional part of the complete generator circumference that a plurality of charges will extend substantially oncearound the generator. To be more exact, the charged areas are so created thatk a plurality of charges will slightly more than comprehend one complete circumference whereby for each series of complete charging operations there will be a slight overlapping area so as thereby to obviate any possible low spots between successive charges. VThis method of distribution is similar to that described and claimed in said pending application Serial No. 232,571.

The accompanying showing of the invention relates to a form of fuel-charging device, for use with a gas generator,such use being illustrative ofthe general use to which my improvements can be put. c

. The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain means illustrating myl invention, the disclosed means, however, constituting but one of the various mechanical forms in which ythe principle of my invention may be embodied.

In said annexed drawings:

Figure l represents a vertical sectional view of my'improved fuel-charging device, in combination with fragmentary portions of a standard water-gasgenerator, and feeding means therefor, the view showing in full linesthe feeding position of a distributing element forming part of my improved fuelcharging device, and in dot-and-dash lines the non-charging or raised position of y-said distributing element;l Y

Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section, taken in the plane indicated by the line 2*2, Figure 1; and Y Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating how the successive coal charges are deposited in the generator. Y

Referring to the annexed drawings in which the same parts are indicated by the same respective numbers in the several views, a standard water-gasgenerator l formed with a dome 2 is adapted to be charged with coal by my improved charging device through an opening 3.` The charging device is supported upon eccentrically mounted wheels 4 so as to permit dropping theV charger upon the wall of the charging opening 3. By any va comparatively small part of the entire circumference of the generator. This charging area will be discussed and described hereinafter more fully. The distributor element 9 is substantially triangular in vertical section, as plainly' seen `in Figure 1, and is mounted upon a base member 11 which formsy a valve to close off the top of the generator 1 by contact with the seat 15 formed upon the inner surface. of the wall of the casing 8, Y

during the non-charging periods, as plainly shown bydot-and-dash lines 1n Figurel.

coal by a step-by-step process during one` charging operation through the medium of a rod 18 connected at one end by suitable transmission devices to the shaft 16 and eccentrically connected at"ther-other end to a shaft 19 of reduction gearing 20 which in turn is driven by a motor 21. This motor 21 byfsuita'ble switch devices is adapted cooperatively with the actuation of the hydraulic cylinders governing the movements of the rods?? vand 12 to feed charges of coal inthe manner plainly indicated in Figure 1 to the generator 1 at each down-run and at a time when' the distributor element 9 is in its lowerm'ost.' position. as is well known in the art-L` Withv the stan dard construction j ust described. I have combined mcansvfor rotating the distributor element 9, and hence the chute portion '10; a part of arotation so as to cause the fuel to be distributed over an area of about one-fifth of the total circumference of the Vgenerator 1 for each charge of coal fed by the vanes of the feeding means 17. As plainly'illustrated in Figure 3, wherein the arrow indicates the direction of rotation of the distributor element'9 and the shaded area 28'indicates that portion of the generator area covered by'one charge, and the angle a-b indicates' exactly one-fifth of the whole circumference. it will be seen that I actually cover slightly more than one-fifth of the generator area by each charge, so that upon the repeated coverings of the same area of the generator, every fifth charge will slightly overlap, resulting in the elimination of any lovv vor defective areas between the edges of. successivev charges.

The distributor element 9 is rotated as follows. A sprocket chain 22 operated from the shaft 16 of the feeding device 17 Vengages a sprocket wheel 23 secured to a shaft 29 mounted in housing 30 supported by the casing 8L Also secured to this shaft 29 is a bevel gear 24 engaging a second bevel gear 25 formed with an extended hub member 25 mounted in a bracket 252 secured to the housing 30. The supporting rod 12 is preferably made. square in section and is adapted to slidably engage a square opening in the hub member-25 and is reciprocated by the cylinder 14 through similar upper and lower stuffing boxes, ofthe lower one of which acrosssection is shown in Figure 2, the same vcomprising an inner stufling box member 2G having-.a square bore for the reception of the rod ,ing point of the preceding series.

12 and adapted to rotate in a stuiiing box portion 27 formed With a round bore.

It will be plainly noted in Figure 1 that the feeding device 17 is closelyl adjacent the charging opening 3. It Will also be noted that' the means for rotating the supporting rod-12 vand hence the distributor'element 9 arelocated above the feeding device 17. This arrangement results in al construction requiring only slight vhead room, as distinguished from that shown in said pending application` Serial. No. 232,571, wherein the means for rotating the distributing valve are disposed intermediate -the distributor device and the feeding device, thus requiring considerable head room..

The above'described device operates as follows; By the timing of the-hydraulic cylinderoperatin'gdevices, the rod 12and hence the distributing element 9 are lowered into the full line position. shown in-,Figure 1. Then the feeding-device v17V and the` rotating devicesl for the rod12 are operated, resulting in a charging of coal, such as shown in Figure 1, the arrangementbeing such that during the entire fuel-charging operation, the distributor 9 rotated -slightly moreithan one-fifth of-a complete rotation; During five such 0perationsthe entirecircumference of the generatorl isicovered including a slight overlapc pingat the beginning of the charged area so thatthe nextiseries of five chargescominence at a point-somewhat advanced from thezstart- The result of. the yconstruction and operation is the uniform distribution of the fuel by a device requiringonly ,slight headroom andthe preventing ofthe building upfof any low spots between any successive series of charges or between any charges which are dumped onto adjacentareas..

WhatI claim is 1. A Fuel-charging .mechanism comprising a fuel-feeding device.; means for supplying said `device with fuel; a lvertically-reciprocable distributor andfmeans for automatically and periodically raising, and lowering'v the same,.means'for periodically actuating said fuel-.feeding device, said Ydistributorfbeing providedswith'a dischargechute and being' arranged toreceive fuel from said 'fuel-feeding device whenthe latter is periodically actuate`d,'part of `said distributor being a depending` supporting rod, la housing through which-said rod is reciprocated, a bracket secured to said housing, a bevel gear mounted upon said bracket andprovided with an extended hub Within Which said rod is splineconnected, a sprocket Wheel mounted on said housing, a sprocket chain engaging said sprocket wheel and driven fronisaid fuelfeeding device, and a second bevel gear driven from said sprocket Wheel engaging said firstmentioned bevelgear. Y y

2. A distributor for fuel-charging devices comprising a body member formed with a sector-shaped distributing surface, and a plane base member upon which said body member is mounted, said sector-shaped distributing surface extending down to and over the edge of said plane base member, the latter being formed With an upwardly-extended hub, and a supporting rod secured in said hub.

3. Distributor-rotating means for fuelcharging devices comprising a housing, upper and lower stufling boxes mounted therein and each comprising an inner member formedV with a square bore and an oui er member formed with a round bore, a bracket secured to said housing and a sprocket Wheel mounted on said housing, means for actuating said sprocket Wheel, a bevel gear having an extended hub mounted in said bracket, a second bevel gear engaging said first-mentioned bevel gear and actuated from said sprocket Wheel, and a supporting rod having a square section tted Within said square bores and spline-connected to and Within said extended hu l. A distributor for fuel-charging devices comprising a body member formed With a sector-shaped distributing surface, and a plane imperforate base member unitary With said body member and upon Which the latter is mounted, said sector-shaped distributing surface extending down to and over the edge of said plane base member, the latter being adapted to constitute a valve and being formed With a hub portion upwardly extended Within said body member, and a supporting rod secured in said hub portion.

Signed by me this 13th day of September,

JAMES H. GLEASON. 

